Development

Teardowns On The Upsurge In Kansas City Market

Johnson County, Kansas, part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, includes some extensively built-out suburban neighborhoods. And as the economy recovers, some of those communities are seeing a rise in teardown construction. The Kansas City Star has this report: ("Northeast Johnson County starting over with teardowns," by Kevin Collison).

"After a lull caused by the 2008 recession, the pace of teardowns has picked up considerably," the paper reports. "People drawn to the area's quality of life and convenient access are willing to pay $200,000 or more for a functional house, raze it and then drop another $650,000 or more on a new home. The phenomenon is happening in the gamut of neighborhoods — expensive Mission Hills and more modest but tony neighborhoods in Fairway and Prairie Village. It's bringing back and retaining young families and reinforcing property values in communities prized for their location and stability."